Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I might be bitter and twisted, Senator Evans, but not about that issue tonight. I am disappointed that I am no longer a minister, but I have been a minister for seven years, and it is a lot longer than you ever will be. You will never be a minister. So do not bring that up. In this instance the chair was absolutely appropriate.

Until I was provoked by Senator Evans, I wanted to agree with Senator Bernardi on the tuna industry. I want to quickly put on record—although perhaps it will be lost to anyone who might happen to read Hansardthe great work that Glenn Hurry, an officer of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, did in relation to that Japanese issue. It is an issue which the Commonwealth government has been following for over a year now, and I must give all credit to Glenn Hurry on the way that he actually got the evidence together, with the help of the South Australian tuna farmers, and got that through. Senator Bernardi was quite right in what he said. The other issue I wanted to talk about was the bushfire season and how the Greens continue to lock trees away in parks that can be burnt down, but I have not got time to go into that. (Time expired)